Talent
by Traveler07
Summary: Cal has a hidden talent! It's a silly story to take a break from all the angst I've been writing. Rated 'T' for language.


Hey guys! I have been doing a lot of angsty stuff lately so I decided to take a little break and write a fun one shot. It's totally pointless and random but the idea popped into my head and I just couldn't get it out... plus I'm afraid that my other story is depressing the hell out of whoever is reading it. Haha, anyways so this story is just about Cal and one of his hidden talents. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Cal Leandros series, it is property of Rob Thurman.

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There weren't many times when my little brother had managed to surprise me. In our entire lives I could only think of a few instances when Cal hadn't done more or less what I expected of him. This time I ended up quite shocked indeed.

Cal and I returned from our morning run to discover Promise and Robin waiting for us at the door.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" I sighed, well at least he was succinct. I smacked him on the back of the head and unlocked the door to let us all in.

"I have no idea, ask her she's the one who forced me from a soft warm and nicely crowded bed to drag my perfectly formed ass over here. _Skata_, it's too early for this." Robin groaned and scrubbed at his face in an attempt to wake up.

"You're tired?" Cal growled "Neo-ninja over here dragged my ass out of bed before the fucking morning dew could settle." He pulled the ponytail out of his hair and let it cover his face as he collapsed on the couch. "Wake me up at a decent hour, like noon."

"I second the motion." Robin collapsed on our dangerously rickety easy chair. Promise gave Robin a dirty look, her unpainted lips curved in a slight frown. At least they were still getting along well… I returned my attention to my lounging brother.

I frowned and removed Cal's less than sanitary shoes from the sofa after hitting the nerve to… punctuate the lesson. I sat down in the newly freed spot and looked up at Promise to find out why they had decided to grace us with their presence this morning.

"I apologize for coming so early, but an important decision had to be made. We have a job that the employer wants done today. He needs us to follow his werewolf wife because he suspects her of cheating. He-"

"What's the pay?" Robin interrupted. Promise didn't even miss a beat, she continued talking like he hadn't even spoken. Generally a good way to handle the puck who seemed to be under the impression that he had many vastly important things to say.

"-wants us to make sure she isn't aware she is being followed, which will be quite difficult. He contacted us because most werewolves would never higher people of our… differences." She glanced quickly at Cal and then turned back to me. "The pay will be $157 an hour and he expects that the assignment will take no more than one night, about seven hours."

"So… what's the pay?" Robin asked again.

"About $1099." I glanced at him with what must have been obvious surprise. Cal, who seemed to have just realized that he had said that out loud, sat up straighter and crossed his arms defensively.

"What." He said gruffly, though a hit of a blush colored his cheeks.

"Cal are you smart!?" Robin, who had recently decided that the chair was really meant to be sat on backwards, was staring at Cal with an expression akin to complete and utter shock.

"Cal has always been intelligent." I defended. "He just rarely chooses to showcase it." Though in this case I had to admit even I didn't know he was so good at math. I was curious and decided to see if the first instance was merely a fluke.

"What is 78 multiplied by 143?" I used the first numbers that came to mind.

"Why do you need to know? I'm sure you can do in your head just fine." Cal glared at me suspiciously, he obviously knew that I was playing a game with him. Unfortunately for him I wasn't in the mood for his sarcasm.

"If I were you I would try and answer or I may decide that incorrect answers warrant an extra few miles of running time." I said calmly. He stared at me for a moment trying to decide whether or not I was serious. He must have realized that I was completely serious because he answered quickly.

"11,154"

"What about 789 divided by 56?" Robin asked, wanting to get in on the game. Even Promised seemed interested.

"Approximately 14" He fired off quickly without even seeming to think about it. I was torn between being disgruntled that I hadn't know about this skill beforehand and proud that he had the skill to begin with.

"What is the square root of 907?"

"Rounded down 30." Cal answered just as quickly. Well… the first time was definitely not a fluke.

"Well, now that we know you are so good with numbers I will let you handle the accounting part of our… small business." I might as well make use of his talent.

"Fuck, I knew it was a mistake to let you know I was good at math. I can't believe I slipped after so damn long." Cal groaned slouching back down on the couch.

Now that reaction I could have predicted spot on. Some things never change. Cal lifted his feet back onto the sofa and I went for his nerve again. Then again sometimes life surprises you I thought as Cal, the human calculator, yelped from my painful pinch.

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I know, kinda silly right? Leave me a review! They make me happy :)


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